Paint brush and manufacturing method

Abstract

A paint brush and method include a ferrule extending around and in contact with a plurality of bristles and a spacer apparatus positioned to space apart the plurality of bristles to provide at least one reservoir within the plurality of bristles. The spacer apparatus defines at least one opening extending through the spacer apparatus that allows fluid passage therethrough to the at least one reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the plurality of bristles when fluid is provided therein.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A paint brush comprising:
 a brush handle comprising a handle portion and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion defines at least one channel extending from a distal outlet opening to a proximal inlet opening located closer to the handle portion than the distal outlet opening; 
 a plurality of bristles extending from a distal bristle end region to a proximal bristle end region; 
 a ferrule extending around and in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region; and 
 a spacer apparatus extending along an axis from a proximal end to a distal end and positioned to space apart the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to provide a single reservoir within the plurality of bristles proximate the distal end of the spacer apparatus, wherein the spacer apparatus defines a single narrow unobstructed opening extending along the axis through the spacer apparatus from the proximal end to the distal end that is elongated in a direction orthogonal to the axis, wherein the paint brush has a maximum width orthogonal to the axis, and further wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening defined by the spacer apparatus has a length in the direction orthogonal to the axis that is at least 30% of the maximum width of the paint brush, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region are coupled between the ferrule and the spacer apparatus, and further wherein the at least one channel of the attachment portion and the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus define a passageway that allows fluid passage from the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion to the single reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the plurality of bristles when fluid is provided into the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion. 
 
     
     
       2. A paint brush comprising:
 a plurality of bristles extending from a distal bristle end region to a proximal bristle end region; 
 a ferrule extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the ferrule extending around and in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region; 
 a spacer apparatus extending along an axis from a proximal end to a distal end and positioned to space apart the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to provide a single reservoir within the plurality of bristles proximate the distal end of the spacer apparatus, wherein the spacer apparatus defines a single narrow unobstructed opening extending along the axis through the spacer apparatus from the proximal end to the distal end that is elongated in a direction orthogonal to the axis, wherein the paint brush has a maximum width orthogonal to the axis, and further wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening defined by the spacer apparatus has a length in the direction orthogonal to the axis that is at least 30% of the maximum width of the paint brush, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region are coupled between the ferrule and the spacer apparatus, and further wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus defines a passageway that allows fluid passage therethrough to the single reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the plurality of bristles when fluid is provided therein; and 
 a brush handle attachable at the proximal end of the ferrule. 
 
     
     
       3. The paint brush of  claim 2 , wherein the brush handle comprises a handle portion and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion defines at least one channel extending from a distal outlet opening to a proximal inlet opening located closer to the handle portion than the distal outlet opening, and further wherein the attachment portion of the brush handle and the ferrule are coupled such that the at least one channel of the attachment portion and the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus define a passageway that allows fluid passage from the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion to the single reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the bristles when fluid is provided into the proximal inlet opening. 
     
     
       4. The paint brush of  claim 1 , wherein the ferrule comprises at least one inner surface in contact with the plurality of bristles, wherein the spacer apparatus comprises one or more inner surfaces adjacent the single narrow unobstructed opening and one or more outer surfaces facing the least one inner surface of the ferrule, wherein the one or more outer surfaces of the spacer apparatus and the at least one inner surface of the ferrule define a bristle region within which the plurality of bristles are located. 
     
     
       5. The paint brush of  claim 4 , wherein an adhesive is provided in the bristle region to couple the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to the ferrule and the spacer apparatus. 
     
     
       6. The paint brush of  claim 5 , wherein the adhesive seals the bristle region about the entire perimeter of the spacer apparatus between the one or more outer surfaces of the spacer apparatus and the at least one inner surface of the ferrule. 
     
     
       7. The paint brush of  claim 1 , wherein the ferrule extends from a distal end to a proximal end, wherein the proximal end of the ferrule is located closer to the handle portion than the proximal end of the spacer apparatus, and further wherein the proximal end of the spacer apparatus is located closer to the handle portion than the proximal bristle end region. 
     
     
       8. The paint brush of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer apparatus is spaced from an inner surface of the ferrule by a plurality of spacing elements. 
     
     
       9. The paint brush of  claim 1 , wherein the ferrule comprises an inner surface in contact with the plurality of bristles, wherein a plurality of grooves are defined in the inner surface. 
     
     
       10. The paint brush of  claim 1 , wherein the ferrule comprises a seamless ferrule. 
     
     
       11. The paint brush of  claim 1 , wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus is configured to restrict the ingress of paint from the single reservoir into the at least one channel. 
     
     
       12. A paint brush comprising:
 a brush handle comprising a handle portion and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion defines at least one channel extending from a distal outlet opening to a proximal inlet opening located closer to the handle portion than the distal outlet opening; 
 a plurality of bristles extending from a distal bristle end region to a proximal bristle end region; 
 a ferrule extending around and in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region; 
 a spacer apparatus extending from a proximal end to a distal end and positioned to space apart the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to provide at least one reservoir within the plurality of bristles, wherein the spacer apparatus defines at least one opening extending through the spacer apparatus from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region are coupled between the ferrule and the spacer apparatus, and further wherein the at least one channel of the attachment portion and the at least one opening of the spacer apparatus define a passageway that allows fluid passage from the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion to the at least one reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the plurality of bristles when fluid is provided into the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion; and 
 a plug portion configured to extend into the at least one opening of the spacer apparatus to selectably close the proximal inlet opening and remove material in the at least one opening when positioned therein. 
 
     
     
       13. The paint brush of  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion defines a void region proximate the proximal inlet opening to allow access thereto. 
     
     
       14. The paint brush of  claim 13 , wherein the handle portion comprises:
 an elongated handle member extending between a proximal end and a distal end; and further comprises one of: 
 first and second spaced apart arm members coupling the distal end of the elongated handle member to first and second spaced apart portions of the attachment member, wherein the void region is located between the first and second spaced apart members; 
 a solid material handle body member extending from and coupling the distal end of the elongated handle member to and along a width of the attachment member, wherein the void region is located on at least one side of the solid material handle body member; or 
 a single curved arm member coupling the distal end of the elongated handle member to a portion of the attachment member, wherein the void region is located between the proximal inlet opening and a portion of the single curved arm member. 
 
     
     
       15. The paint brush of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion defines a narrow channel extending along an axis from the distal outlet opening to the proximal inlet opening that is elongated in a direction orthogonal to the axis, and further wherein the narrow channel defined by the attachment member has a length in the direction orthogonal to the axis that is at least 30% of the maximum width of the paint brush. 
     
     
       16. A method of manufacturing a paint brush, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a plurality of bristles extending from a distal bristle end region to a proximal bristle end region; 
 providing a ferrule extending from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the ferrule defines a bristle opening; 
 locating the plurality of bristles into the bristle opening of the ferrule; 
 inserting a spacer apparatus which extends along an axis from a proximal end to a distal end thereof within the proximal bristle end region of the plurality of bristles to space apart at least a portion of the plurality of bristles to provide a single reservoir within the plurality of bristles proximate the distal end of the spacer apparatus, wherein the spacer apparatus defines a single narrow unobstructed opening extending along the axis through the spacer apparatus from the proximal end to the distal end that is elongated in a direction orthogonal to the axis, wherein the paint brush has a maximum width orthogonal to the axis, and further wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening defined by the spacer apparatus has a length in the direction orthogonal to the axis that is at least 30% of the maximum width of the paint brush; 
 inserting a mandrel into the proximal end of the ferrule to configure the plurality of bristles; 
 providing adhesive in a bristle region defined between the spacer apparatus and the ferrule to couple at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to the spacer apparatus and the ferrule; 
 providing a brush handle comprising a handle portion and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion defines at least one channel extending from a distal outlet opening to a proximal inlet opening located closer to the handle portion than the distal outlet opening; and 
 coupling the attachment portion of the brush handle and the ferrule such that the at least one channel of the attachment portion and the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus define a passageway that allows fluid passage from the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion to the single reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the bristles when fluid is provided into the proximal inlet opening. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing adhesive in the bristle region comprises providing adhesive in the bristle region about the entire perimeter of the spacer apparatus between one or more outer surfaces of the spacer apparatus and at least one inner surface of the ferrule. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein inserting the mandrel into the proximal end of the ferrule comprises positioning the spacer apparatus such that the proximal end of the ferrule is located closer to the handle portion than the proximal end of the spacer apparatus and the proximal end of the spacer apparatus is located closer to the handle portion than the proximal bristle end region to create a channel for receiving the adhesive between the spacer apparatus and an inner surface of the ferrule. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein inserting the spacer apparatus comprises using a plurality of spacing elements to space the spacer apparatus from an inner surface of the ferrule.